1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a baby monitor, and more particularly to a baby monitor capable of controlling other devices. The baby monitor is capable of muting a television or other electronic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Baby monitors are well known. A standard baby monitor consists of a transmitter and a receiver, each of which can be powered by a battery or an A/C current source (usually with an inline transformer). The transmitter contains a microphone or other sound detecting device and is placed in a location near a baby. The receiver contains a speaker and placed in a location near a parent. A sound (e.g. a stirring or crying baby) detected by the transmitter is transmitted to the receiver for output to the parent to hear and respond to accordingly.
Several versions of this standard model exist. One includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), which light in series to indicate the level of the sound received by the receiver. This acts as a visual alert for the parent in that as the sound level increases the number of LEDs that light also increases. As an added alert the color of the subsequently lit or higher sound-level LEDs is a different color from the lower sound-level LEDs (usually red and green, respectively). This visual alert is useful in an environment where there are other noises that may cause the receiver output to go unheard by the parent. These other noises can be sound from a television, radio, stereo, or other electronic device, that outputs the sound from a speaker. These external noises can also be from noise-making electric appliances, for example, an electric mixer, a blender, a washing machine, or the like.
In either of the above models, if the external noises are greater that the output of the baby monitor receiver, the sounds of the baby can go unheard by the parent. And a problem with the LED model in particular arises when external noises are present and the receiver is out of the line-of-sight of the parent. In this case, along with the sound going unheard, the visual alert goes unseen. Thus, in either case the baby could be crying and the parent would be unaware of this potentially dangerous situation.
The present invention solves this long-standing problem and provides a baby monitor that can insure that the parent hears the sounds under a variety of external noise conditions.
It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a baby monitor receiver that can control the volume level of other electronic devices.
It is another aspect of the present invention to incorporate into the receiver of the baby monitor a control circuit that detects the sound level and, upon reaching a predetermined or user-set level, decreases or mutes the volume of another electronic device.
It is yet another aspect of the present invention to control any electric noise-making device by incorporating an A/C control module into the present invention.
These and other aspects of the present invention can be achieved by incorporating into a receiver of a baby monitor a system that can remotely control an electric or electronic device when the output sound level of the receiver reaches a reference level. The control can be by infrared, radio frequency or hardwire transmission of a volume control command to the electric or electronic device. By incorporating this control system into the baby monitor, a parent is ensured to hear sounds of a baby.
More generally the invention comprises a monitor system, comprising a sound detector, a transmitter coupled to the sound detector for transmitting a signal upon said detector detecting a sound, and a control device that receives the signal and supplies a control signal to at least one device remote from the control device. A network can be interposed between the transmitter and the control device, wherein the network can be the Internet.
The invention also comprises a method of monitoring a location, comprising the steps of detecting a sound, transmitting a signal upon detecting said sound, and controlling at least one device via said transmitted signal.
The invention also comprises a method of enabling a user to monitor a location. By detecting a sound, transmitting to said user a signal upon detecting said sound, and controlling at least one device via said transmitted signal, the user can monitor a location.
The invention further comprises software for a home network for processing an audio signal received from a sound detector, and controlling at least one device remote from the home network.